Sometimes, just sometimes anxiety gets the better of you. When experienced grey nomads look at the spectacle, it makes it just worse. In the last 12 months, we enjoyed the pleasure of starting to engage with our retirement dream: caravanning. It is great and being in the open suits us. But given my inexperience with reverse parking a caravan at the site nicely and exactly next to the concrete slab I always ask for “drive-through” spots or alternatively bigger spots that can assist, or areas that can be easily reversed into like corner spots.
I knew I had trouble when a young person helped me at the counter. It was the start of a long weekend. And below us, one could see caravan upon caravan streaming in. On telling her I am new in this game she smiled dismissively and said I have an “easy” spot. “It will not be too bad, sir”, not really listening to me. Little did she know what drama laid ahead. All admin done and I got my tow tug with my 21-footer. Nice shady park with many full-grown beautiful trees. And the audience was waiting! After all, it is a long weekend, and we all have the same idea. Sitting nicely on the side of the single width road next to their vans and sipping a cold one. Oh boy …. By now I already flicked one or two heartbeats.
I saw a quick solution! Drive sideways over the concrete slab, turn right and bingo! Starting the process and number one nomad waved his arms frantically. I turned too early, and my van was about to lose the match against a huge tree implanted solidly on one side. Sigh …. I had to reverse back in the single road and try again. By now I had the attention. The second attempt forwards and backwards. My wife on mobile advising me from the back of the van. And try and try. By now I wanted to remove our Yorkie from the back seat because he stinks. But realise he did not come along …. A second person came along with suggesting an alternative. I realised the sound of changing gears could not be my automatic gearbox, but the clenching/grinding of my teeth.
Drive around the block and try again from another angle. Getting close – but not close enough to the slab. By now wife wants it just where it is. Me, I want to prove a point. My ego damaged. Backwards and then forwards right up to the awning of the guy in front. My self-esteem in the drain and the side-walk spectators probably enjoying a day. And admittedly stress levels enough to win the Origin match against the Blues by myself. It is not my day …. And I started to work out a budget I need for the dentist appointments afterwards.
Until one of the sidewalk spectators walked over … saying “matey, crank the wheel this way”, accepting my quick explanation I am a novice. The van turned in the right way! And with his help, it happened! Bingo. Right next to the slab. I thanked him and his son … but with an ego busted. Later the Moscow mule quenched the sharpest edges. Tomorrow is another day…
Lessons learnt:
- I do not like caravan parks that “sausage” vans in like a 10-storey flat building in Sydney CBD. I will check this more thoroughly in future. The venue was brilliant, but not great to enjoy the scenery. Families with children have a ball with playgrounds and pools, but I have moved on from this type of venue.
- Park your tug and do a complete reconnaissance of the area. Smaller caravan sites with single lane roads which allows limited manoeuvring requires that.
- If you can, get in early because there will be more space for manoeuvring.
- Take note of trees bordering your site! Specifically big ones.
- Monitor your perceptions. Spectators are not necessarily the enemy. They just do not want to intrude. They can actually help.
- Breathe … count to ten …. remember the basics.
I have budgeted for a “Towing Ed” course in the next 6 months. Maybe I need to bring this forward.
